A devastating three-vehicle collision on a highway in Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula killed at least 16 people on Saturday, September 13, according to multiple reports from local authorities. The crash occurred on the Mérida-Campeche federal highway near the town of Kopomá, involving a passenger van, a beer delivery truck, and a private vehicle.
The Yucatán Security Ministry initially reported 15 fatalities at the scene, though some sources later indicated the death toll reached 16 after additional remains were discovered in the wreckage. The passenger van burst into flames following the collision, trapping multiple victims inside the burning vehicle.
According to preliminary investigations conducted by authorities, the passenger van was traveling at excessive speed when it collided with a Ford Ikon private vehicle and subsequently veered into the path of an oncoming beer truck that was heading toward Mérida. The van and private vehicle were both traveling toward the state of Campeche at the time of the accident.
Eyewitnesses described a horrific scene to local media outlet Diario de Yucatán, reporting numerous victims trapped inside the burning van while other bodies were found lying alongside the roadway. The collision caused the passenger van to split in two sections before erupting in flames, creating a massive fire that produced thick black smoke visible from a considerable distance.
Among the confirmed fatalities were construction workers from Calkiní, a town in Campeche state, who were returning from work in Mérida. The driver of the beer delivery truck was also killed in the collision. At least five of the victims were identified as women, according to the Yucatán Security Ministry.
Emergency responders including firefighters, paramedics, and state police arrived at the crash site to extinguish the flames and search for survivors. Two people were successfully rescued from the wreckage, both occupants of the private vehicle, and were transported to hospitals in Mérida for treatment of their injuries. The National Guard also responded to secure the accident scene while forensic teams conducted their investigation.
Yucatán Governor Joaquín Díaz Mena said, “It is with deep regret that we received the news of the unfortunate accident.” The governor expressed solidarity with affected families and confirmed that emergency services responded immediately to provide assistance.
On Sunday, September 14, Governor Díaz Mena accompanied family members of the victims to Medical Forensic Service facilities in Yucatán to assist with the identification process. He indicated that his administration was providing support and facilities to help families transfer their loved ones back to their home communities. Campeche Governor Layda Sansores also offered condolences and support through a telephone call with Díaz Mena.
The crash represents one of the deadliest road accidents in Yucatán state in decades. Local media reported that the collision ranks as the worst road tragedy in the region in 50 years, surpassing a 1979 bus accident that killed 11 people and injured 43 others when the vehicle overturned.
This fatal collision occurred during a particularly deadly week for transportation accidents across Mexico. On Monday, September 9, a freight train struck a double-decker passenger bus in the State of Mexico near Atlacomulco, killing 10 people and injuring 41 others. Two days later, a gas truck carrying nearly 50,000 liters of fuel overturned and exploded in Mexico City, resulting in 13 deaths and dozens of severe burn injuries.
The Yucatán State Attorney General’s Office confirmed that an investigation into Saturday’s highway collision is underway. Initial findings from the investigation support witness accounts that the van’s driver was traveling at excessive speed before the crash occurred. Authorities have not yet released the identities of all victims, though several bodies have been identified and returned to relatives while others undergo DNA testing.
The Mérida-Campeche highway where the accident occurred serves as a major transportation route connecting the two largest cities on the Yucatán Peninsula. The stretch of road near Kopomá where the collision took place carries significant traffic from workers commuting between the urban centers and smaller communities throughout the region.
